17

patrons

$139

per month

Archaeology
has been described as the discipline that borrows from all the others. It
combines history, technology, and philosophy. My own area of archaeology combines
science, art, and craft. For years I have studied the tools and materials of
ancient metalsmiths, replicating bronze hammers, chisels, anvils, and other
tools to understand how to use them and how well they worked. After earning an MSc
and PhD in archaeometallurgy from the University of Sheffield in the UK, I
continued to do research and experimental work replicating ancient casting
technology and writing articles about the results. It’s exciting work and I
often join other artists and archaeologists at conferences and workshops, where
we demonstrate bronze casting and other ancient metalworking techniques, and exchange
ideas about our research. I want to be able to share this exciting research
with a larger audience and your support will help supply the materials needed
to introduce others to the craft and science of archaeology.

Experimental
archaeology isn’t re-enactment or living history, although there can be some
overlap. Instead, experimental archaeology is based on a question that needs to
be explored and answered. I often work at a charcoal furnace, casting metal in
much the same way people did thousands of years ago. Other times I am in a
laboratory analysing the metals I cast, or replicating experiments with modern
equipment. It’s important that very step be documented. Materials must be
weighed and measured before and after the experiment, and detailed photographs
are taken. However, all of this would be for nothing if the results aren’t published.
Every paper I publish gives others information that they can use for their own
research.

I
also take these opportunities to teach others. I have helped to run workshops
around the UK, and have participated in symposia and conferences there, in the
US, and Europe. In addition I’ve worked with at-risk and disadvantaged youth,
and groups with disabilities, introducing them to archaeology and ancient craft
techniques.

Supporting experimental archaeology on Patreon will allow me
to continue my work and writing. Unfortunately academic journals do not pay
authors or reviewers. And if authors want to make their work available through
open access so the public can read their articles, they have to pay a rather
hefty fee. I don’t think it’s fair, but this is the current state of affairs. Your
contributions will go towards making my research available to everyone, either
as an individual Patreon reward, or by enabling me to pay Open Access fees.

Experiments often need to be analysed using equipment that
provide information about chemical composition or examination of the
microstructure. All of this requires advanced preparation of samples and fees
for either using the equipment, or paying for others to do the analyses. The
support you give will enable me to have these analyses done, and enable for me
to publish more comprehensive reports.

I often speak at conferences and seminars about the work I
do. Last year I was at the Archaeometallurgy in Europe conference presenting my
research on the different ways in which technology can answer questions about
how metal tools were used in the Bronze Age. I also spoke at conferences about
interpreting the damage on bronze tools to tell how they had been used, and how
metal alloys are affected by recycling. Sometimes conferences provide
bursaries, but usually it is up to the presenter to pay for the fees and travel
expenses. Your contributions will make it possible for me to present my
research at conferences and to see what work other researchers in the field are
doing.

Experimental archaeology isn’t just for the academic. I’ve
worked with both kids and adults, introducing them to the world of the past and
firing up their imaginations. We work as teams, building furnaces and pumping
hand-made bellows to heat charcoal to the point where it will melt metal, all
the while discussing life and work in prehistory. However, many groups or
schools lack the funds to run a workshop. Your support will help to introduce
others to the world of experimental archaeology.

I also have a website and blog, Ancient Tools and Craft: Exploring Ancient Technology through
Experimental Archaeology (http://ancienttools.net/), where I share news and articles about
archaeology, provide tutorials explaining how to build equipment, and have
links to other websites and publications.

In the future I hope to expand the projects to include others
who do experimental archaeology in other areas, such as textiles or glass. I
hope that eventually your contributions will go to support a network of
artisans who have the skills and knowledge to do research into a wide range of early
craft technology.

LEVELS
& REWARDS

The
reward levels allow you to choose how to support these projects. Some are set
up to be fun, but other rewards could be useful if you are interested in resources
for your own groups or classes.

Are you a teacher or lecturer interested in
experimental archaeology? One of the lower level rewards not only gives you
copies of the articles I’ve published, but also provides copies of PowerPoint
presentations that I have given at conferences. These can be used as resources
for classes and groups interested in learning more about experimental
archaeology and ancient metallurgy.

Are you interested in having me speak or conduct a
workshop at your event? I would be glad to make arrangements. I regularly
travel and welcome the opportunity to teach hands-on workshops with groups of
adults or young people.

Want to fund a special project? Is there some
aspect of experimental archaeology or metalworking that you’ve wanted to
explore, but don’t have the ability or resources to do it yourself? We can
discuss the possibilities of constructing an experiment, including research
into work that was previously done. I welcome collaborative projects and
introducing more people to the craft and science of archaeology.

Once upon a time the arts
and sciences were supported by patrons, wealthy individuals and families who
funded artists and scientists to create great works, explore the universe, and
invent things. Patreon is stepping into the role of the patron, but rather than
wealthy individuals, the patrons are all of us who contribute to the greater
knowledge and share our resources.

it’s important that you know that your support makes it
possible for me to continue my work, but it also enables me to teach and to
share my research as well. For that, I want to thank you, whether you contribute
a dollar a month, or a couple more to download articles, or even up the ante to
one of the higher reward levels, you’ll know that you’re part of the team that
helps make this possible. You're a fellow explorer in the world of the past.

Tiers

Articles and presentations!

$3 or more per month ∙ 2 patrons

Here's your chance to read what's happening in the world of archaeometallurgy and experimental archaeology, not to mention helping to support further work. I often present my work at conferences using PowerPoint presentations, so in addition to articles, you will get copies of PowerPoints and scripts from the presentations.

As a supporter at this level you will get immediate access to my PowerPoint and notes for Getting Hammered, a paper I gave in 2014 at the 8th Annual EXARC Conference in Oxford. There will be more to come!

If you like, your name will also be included as a supporter on future presentations and on my webpage.

Postcards!

$5 or more per month ∙ 2 of 15 patrons

A lot of people enjoyed the postcards I sent as part of my GoFundMe project. In addition to the rewards above, you'll receive a postcard every month from wherever I am in the world. It could be somewhere in the US, Europe, the UK, pretty much anywhere there's a workshop or conference. In the past I've sent cards from Italy, Spain, Ireland, the UK, and other countries. Every one is handwritten and I try to get the coolest stamps available just to make the reward more fun.

Bronze Age Journal!

$5 or more per month ∙ 4 patrons

For two weeks I lived in a Bronze Age village, in a typical Bronze Age house, cooking my meals with charcoal and wood, and no internet or phone access! I was participating in the first Bronze Casting Festival at the Bronzezeithof in Uelsen Germany. I was there to speak about experimental archaeology, build furnaces, and cast bronze.

During this time I kept a handwritten journal, with sketches, photos, and descriptions of my daily experiences. When I returned to the 21st century I uploaded a series of PDF transcriptions of my journal to Patreon as a thanks to everyone who supported me at the $5 tier.

The journal will be archived here and available for all future supporters at the $5 tier.

This journal will not be published elsewhere. This is just for you with deep thanks for your support of me and experimental archaeology.

Watch this space for new adventures, photos, or written works. I'm not done yet...

Experiments!

$10 or more per month ∙ 8 patrons

It takes a lot of resources to cast bronze and to conduct rigorous experiments. Sometimes it requires materials, other times it involves paying for lab analyses. Your support will help fund new and interesting research that will be published in academic journals.

My past work included exploring how bronze alloys are affected by recycling and analysing wear on 3,000 year old Bronze Age tools. Your contributions will make future experiments possible. There's not much in the way of a physical reward in some of the experiments, but you will get all of the rewards listed above plus an acknowledgement in my publications.

Dodo of the Month Club!

$40 or more per month ∙ 0 of 15 patrons

“Don't you own a
dodo?”
-Jasper Fforde Lost in a Good Book.

Those of you who know me, you know my mild obsession with
this extinct, flightless bird. I have been fascinated with them ever since I
first saw Sir John Tenniel’s illustrations in Alice in Wonderland. Since then dodos
seem to finagle their way into every medium I’ve worked in.

As a reward for your support, you will get a dodo every
month in whatever medium I am currently using. It could be soft sculpture, such
as needle-felting or crochet, a drawing or painting, jewellery, or something
else entirely. Last year I even cast a small one in bronze. Whatever medium it
is in, your dodo will be an original work.

These won’t be multiple objects cast from moulds or
mechanically produced prints (although I may have reproductions available for sale
otherwise). Every dodo for this reward will be unique, and because of that I
will have to limit the number of dodo recipients (that could be You!) to 15 per
month. That comes to about one dodo every other day for me to make.

You can start your own dodo collection, or have a ready
supply of gifts for the dodo lovers in your life.
I know that $40 per month is a bit steep, but I am also
figuring in the average cost of postage per month. I want to be able to afford
to send your dodo to you from wherever I am in the world. However, if the idea
of lovely dodos appeals to you, but the price is more than you can afford right
now, you might consider going in with a friend. For $20 per month you can share
the dodos between you (no squabbling now!).

Just think, your own dodo winging its way to you every month
while you support research in experimental archaeology.

Goals

$139 of $200 per month

Conference Talks and Papers

I have been asked to present a paper at The Nordic Bronze Age Symposium
in Oslo.
I’ll be talking about how mistakes
in metalwork have the potential to tell us so much more than the perfect pieces
that are usually displayed in museums. A momentary slip of the hand can cause a
permanent mark on a metal object. It can’t be rubbed out like when making
something out of clay or undone and reworked as when making baskets or weaving.
When studied, these marks tell a story that can be interpreted. My paper will
explain how to interpret these mistakes in a way that allows us to look over
the shoulder of an artisan working in metal thousands of years ago.

After the presentation, I will be
working on an article based on the presentation that will either be published
as part of the conference proceedings or submitted to a journal.

Your support
will help get me to this conference and others like it. Naturally, those of you
who are supporting my work will get a postcard from Oslo and a copy of the finished article.

Archaeology
has been described as the discipline that borrows from all the others. It
combines history, technology, and philosophy. My own area of archaeology combines
science, art, and craft. For years I have studied the tools and materials of
ancient metalsmiths, replicating bronze hammers, chisels, anvils, and other
tools to understand how to use them and how well they worked. After earning an MSc
and PhD in archaeometallurgy from the University of Sheffield in the UK, I
continued to do research and experimental work replicating ancient casting
technology and writing articles about the results. It’s exciting work and I
often join other artists and archaeologists at conferences and workshops, where
we demonstrate bronze casting and other ancient metalworking techniques, and exchange
ideas about our research. I want to be able to share this exciting research
with a larger audience and your support will help supply the materials needed
to introduce others to the craft and science of archaeology.

Experimental
archaeology isn’t re-enactment or living history, although there can be some
overlap. Instead, experimental archaeology is based on a question that needs to
be explored and answered. I often work at a charcoal furnace, casting metal in
much the same way people did thousands of years ago. Other times I am in a
laboratory analysing the metals I cast, or replicating experiments with modern
equipment. It’s important that very step be documented. Materials must be
weighed and measured before and after the experiment, and detailed photographs
are taken. However, all of this would be for nothing if the results aren’t published.
Every paper I publish gives others information that they can use for their own
research.

I
also take these opportunities to teach others. I have helped to run workshops
around the UK, and have participated in symposia and conferences there, in the
US, and Europe. In addition I’ve worked with at-risk and disadvantaged youth,
and groups with disabilities, introducing them to archaeology and ancient craft
techniques.

Supporting experimental archaeology on Patreon will allow me
to continue my work and writing. Unfortunately academic journals do not pay
authors or reviewers. And if authors want to make their work available through
open access so the public can read their articles, they have to pay a rather
hefty fee. I don’t think it’s fair, but this is the current state of affairs. Your
contributions will go towards making my research available to everyone, either
as an individual Patreon reward, or by enabling me to pay Open Access fees.

Experiments often need to be analysed using equipment that
provide information about chemical composition or examination of the
microstructure. All of this requires advanced preparation of samples and fees
for either using the equipment, or paying for others to do the analyses. The
support you give will enable me to have these analyses done, and enable for me
to publish more comprehensive reports.

I often speak at conferences and seminars about the work I
do. Last year I was at the Archaeometallurgy in Europe conference presenting my
research on the different ways in which technology can answer questions about
how metal tools were used in the Bronze Age. I also spoke at conferences about
interpreting the damage on bronze tools to tell how they had been used, and how
metal alloys are affected by recycling. Sometimes conferences provide
bursaries, but usually it is up to the presenter to pay for the fees and travel
expenses. Your contributions will make it possible for me to present my
research at conferences and to see what work other researchers in the field are
doing.

Experimental archaeology isn’t just for the academic. I’ve
worked with both kids and adults, introducing them to the world of the past and
firing up their imaginations. We work as teams, building furnaces and pumping
hand-made bellows to heat charcoal to the point where it will melt metal, all
the while discussing life and work in prehistory. However, many groups or
schools lack the funds to run a workshop. Your support will help to introduce
others to the world of experimental archaeology.

I also have a website and blog, Ancient Tools and Craft: Exploring Ancient Technology through
Experimental Archaeology (http://ancienttools.net/), where I share news and articles about
archaeology, provide tutorials explaining how to build equipment, and have
links to other websites and publications.

In the future I hope to expand the projects to include others
who do experimental archaeology in other areas, such as textiles or glass. I
hope that eventually your contributions will go to support a network of
artisans who have the skills and knowledge to do research into a wide range of early
craft technology.

LEVELS
& REWARDS

The
reward levels allow you to choose how to support these projects. Some are set
up to be fun, but other rewards could be useful if you are interested in resources
for your own groups or classes.

Are you a teacher or lecturer interested in
experimental archaeology? One of the lower level rewards not only gives you
copies of the articles I’ve published, but also provides copies of PowerPoint
presentations that I have given at conferences. These can be used as resources
for classes and groups interested in learning more about experimental
archaeology and ancient metallurgy.

Are you interested in having me speak or conduct a
workshop at your event? I would be glad to make arrangements. I regularly
travel and welcome the opportunity to teach hands-on workshops with groups of
adults or young people.

Want to fund a special project? Is there some
aspect of experimental archaeology or metalworking that you’ve wanted to
explore, but don’t have the ability or resources to do it yourself? We can
discuss the possibilities of constructing an experiment, including research
into work that was previously done. I welcome collaborative projects and
introducing more people to the craft and science of archaeology.

Once upon a time the arts
and sciences were supported by patrons, wealthy individuals and families who
funded artists and scientists to create great works, explore the universe, and
invent things. Patreon is stepping into the role of the patron, but rather than
wealthy individuals, the patrons are all of us who contribute to the greater
knowledge and share our resources.

it’s important that you know that your support makes it
possible for me to continue my work, but it also enables me to teach and to
share my research as well. For that, I want to thank you, whether you contribute
a dollar a month, or a couple more to download articles, or even up the ante to
one of the higher reward levels, you’ll know that you’re part of the team that
helps make this possible. You're a fellow explorer in the world of the past.

Recent posts by Giovanna Fregni

Tiers

Articles and presentations!

$3 or more per month ∙ 2 patrons

Here's your chance to read what's happening in the world of archaeometallurgy and experimental archaeology, not to mention helping to support further work. I often present my work at conferences using PowerPoint presentations, so in addition to articles, you will get copies of PowerPoints and scripts from the presentations.

As a supporter at this level you will get immediate access to my PowerPoint and notes for Getting Hammered, a paper I gave in 2014 at the 8th Annual EXARC Conference in Oxford. There will be more to come!

If you like, your name will also be included as a supporter on future presentations and on my webpage.

Postcards!

$5 or more per month ∙ 2 of 15 patrons

A lot of people enjoyed the postcards I sent as part of my GoFundMe project. In addition to the rewards above, you'll receive a postcard every month from wherever I am in the world. It could be somewhere in the US, Europe, the UK, pretty much anywhere there's a workshop or conference. In the past I've sent cards from Italy, Spain, Ireland, the UK, and other countries. Every one is handwritten and I try to get the coolest stamps available just to make the reward more fun.

Bronze Age Journal!

$5 or more per month ∙ 4 patrons

For two weeks I lived in a Bronze Age village, in a typical Bronze Age house, cooking my meals with charcoal and wood, and no internet or phone access! I was participating in the first Bronze Casting Festival at the Bronzezeithof in Uelsen Germany. I was there to speak about experimental archaeology, build furnaces, and cast bronze.

During this time I kept a handwritten journal, with sketches, photos, and descriptions of my daily experiences. When I returned to the 21st century I uploaded a series of PDF transcriptions of my journal to Patreon as a thanks to everyone who supported me at the $5 tier.

The journal will be archived here and available for all future supporters at the $5 tier.

This journal will not be published elsewhere. This is just for you with deep thanks for your support of me and experimental archaeology.

Watch this space for new adventures, photos, or written works. I'm not done yet...

Experiments!

$10 or more per month ∙ 8 patrons

It takes a lot of resources to cast bronze and to conduct rigorous experiments. Sometimes it requires materials, other times it involves paying for lab analyses. Your support will help fund new and interesting research that will be published in academic journals.

My past work included exploring how bronze alloys are affected by recycling and analysing wear on 3,000 year old Bronze Age tools. Your contributions will make future experiments possible. There's not much in the way of a physical reward in some of the experiments, but you will get all of the rewards listed above plus an acknowledgement in my publications.

Dodo of the Month Club!

$40 or more per month ∙ 0 of 15 patrons

“Don't you own a
dodo?”
-Jasper Fforde Lost in a Good Book.

Those of you who know me, you know my mild obsession with
this extinct, flightless bird. I have been fascinated with them ever since I
first saw Sir John Tenniel’s illustrations in Alice in Wonderland. Since then dodos
seem to finagle their way into every medium I’ve worked in.

As a reward for your support, you will get a dodo every
month in whatever medium I am currently using. It could be soft sculpture, such
as needle-felting or crochet, a drawing or painting, jewellery, or something
else entirely. Last year I even cast a small one in bronze. Whatever medium it
is in, your dodo will be an original work.

These won’t be multiple objects cast from moulds or
mechanically produced prints (although I may have reproductions available for sale
otherwise). Every dodo for this reward will be unique, and because of that I
will have to limit the number of dodo recipients (that could be You!) to 15 per
month. That comes to about one dodo every other day for me to make.

You can start your own dodo collection, or have a ready
supply of gifts for the dodo lovers in your life.
I know that $40 per month is a bit steep, but I am also
figuring in the average cost of postage per month. I want to be able to afford
to send your dodo to you from wherever I am in the world. However, if the idea
of lovely dodos appeals to you, but the price is more than you can afford right
now, you might consider going in with a friend. For $20 per month you can share
the dodos between you (no squabbling now!).

Just think, your own dodo winging its way to you every month
while you support research in experimental archaeology.